He also points to the stark reality that our current system does not have the necessary capacity to truly meet clinical demand for testing. He calls upon the nation’s employers and health plans to increase their contracting and reimbursement with an expanded network of labs that can meet the needs of medical providers who are ordering drug tests.

“A limited 5 or 10 panel urine drug screen is inexpensive, but the hidden costs of not having a drug testing program can be dramatically higher, and excessive or unnecessary testing imposes unwarranted costs,” says Dr. Howell. “Drug testing is a powerful risk mitigation tool that provides far-reaching organizational and societal benefits, but it’s critically important for payers to partner with a highly reputable toxicology lab and drug testing facility that supports ASAM guidelines.”